[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 161 (Monday, November 2, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2675-E2676]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COMMENDING THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF PEOPLE'S UTILITY DISTRICTS IN OREGON

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                           HON. KURT SCHRADER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, November 2, 2009

  Mr. SCHRADER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Public Power 
Week 2009 in the State of Oregon. The history of public power in Oregon 
stems from a grassroots campaign of Oregonians in the 1930's who, due 
to their rural service areas, did not have access to electricity. They 
spearheaded an initiative and Oregon eventually passed a measure 
allowing for the development of publically owned and operated energy 
utilities.
  As President Franklin Roosevelt stood at the gates of the Bonneville 
Dam and inaugurated the Bonneville Power Administration, BPA, these 
Oregonians finally had a viable option towards implementing their 
publically owned energy facilities. By the 1940's, four People's 
Utility Districts were formed across Oregon in Lincoln, Tillamook, 
Clatskanie, and Wasco Counties. By the early 1980's, two more were 
created: Emerald and Columbia River People Utility Districts.
  Oregon's PUDs are a testament to the cooperation of more than 250,000 
Oregonians who publically own and operate their energy company. 
Oregon's PUDs focus on renewable generation, conservation, and energy 
efficiency programs has resulted in over 90 percent of their power 
generated and distributed being green and renewable. This is quite an 
achievement. Today, Oregon's PUDs are thriving with green technology 
innovation while still providing low-cost rates and quality service to 
their consumers.
  There are two PUDs that serve my district: Central Lincoln PUD and 
Tillamook PUD. I would like to take a moment and highlight the 
excellent work they continue to do:
  Central Lincoln PUD--Central Lincoln PUD, serving portions of 
Lincoln, Lane, Douglas and Coos counties, provides affordable 
electricity to nearly 84,000 Oregonians, supporting thousands of jobs 
in the tourism, fishing, and forest products industries. Central 
Lincoln has helped many of its commercial and industrial customers with 
long-term energy saving projects, including the Oregon Coast Aquarium 
in Newport and the Georgia-Pacific paper mill in Toledo. Central 
Lincoln is a platinum sponsor of cutting edge renewable energy and 
electricity storage research at Oregon State University's Wallace 
Energy Systems & Renewables Facility at its school of Electrical 
Engineering and Computer Science. Additionally, Central Lincoln is 
enhancing its focus on conservation and energy efficiency, including 
the hiring of an energy services specialist, who will provide technical 
assistance and information to customers and the general public 
regarding practical application of a variety of energy technologies. 
Central Lincoln is also a recent recipient of a $10 million smart-grid 
grant from the federal government.
  Tillamook PUD--Tillamook PUD and Hampton Lumber's Tillamook Lumber 
Mill have a strong working relationship and have worked together on 
energy efficiency improvement projects for more than two decades. 
Tillamook Lumber, one of Tillamook PUD's largest customers, has always 
valued conservation, and has demonstrated its importance even through 
this rough economic downturn. During the spring, operations at the mill 
decreased from a 24 hour operation to one shift, leaving nearly one-
third of its employees out of work. With rebates and assistance from 
Tillamook PUD, Hampton installed new motors and variable frequency 
drives in several areas of the mill, resulting in annual savings of 
over $90,000. More than 40 percent of the $486,000 project costs were 
paid through the Tillamook PUD/BPA rebate program. Tillamook PUD and 
the Port of Tillamook are also converting a very valuable asset from 
its famous cows into energy. In 2003, the Port constructed a 
centralized methane digester to biologically process the manure from 
4,000 of the county's 30,000 dairy cows. The digester has the ability 
to produce and capture methane from the manure and reduces the amount 
of methane that otherwise would enter the atmosphere. The green power 
generated is sold to Tillamook PUD, powers approximately over 200 
homes, and maintains more than 150 family-wage dairy industry jobs in 
the community.
  Madam Speaker, while more than 70 years has passed since the 
establishment of public power in the State of Oregon, I am proud to say 
that they represent a spirit that I believe all Americans share: the 
spirit of community first. I honor them as they celebrate Public Power 
Week 2009 and wish them continued success in the coming years.

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